On Friday 26th June 2020, DSAI's Nutrition and Health Study Group in partnership with the Irish Global Health Network and Esther Alliance held a joint event: 'Malnutrition across the spectrum and the increased health risks during the COVID-19 pandemic'.
Malnutrition and poor metabolic health, including obesity and diabetes, is strongly linked to worse Covid-19 outcomes due to a compromised immune system. There is disproportionally higher levels of hunger and malnutrition alongside the increasing trends of obesity and diabetes seen in low income countries and this is compounded with weak health systems at baseline which is particularly concerning in fragile states. This webinar reviewed the current global pandemic and the risks through a nutrition and health lens; what the research gaps are; what can be done to strengthen current programmes and how to manage risk and prevent increased mortality through indirect consequences. Finally identifying key priorities going forward and how to ensure evidence based recommendations translate into practice in a timely manner.
Speakers:
- Dr Timothy Roberton, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
- Marie Mc Grath, Emergency Nutrition Network, ENN
- Sajia Mehjabeen, Nutrition Advisor, SAL, Concern located in Bangladesh
- Suzana Almoosawi, Public Health Nutritionist, Nutritional Epidemiologist
A Summary Document from the event is also available here.
A slection of references and further reading is available here.
More information on the event is also available on the GlobalHealth.ie website here.